Work begins on Harrogate care facility expected to create 250 jobs

Groundworks have begun on a new multi-million pound dementia care facility that is expected to create up to 250 new jobs.

Work has started on the new £10.8m Vida Court centre in Harrogate, the newest facility of care group Vida Healthcare.

The facility will feature eight individual ‘houses’ with specialist features including a large communal area designed to imitate a village environment with its own shop, coffee shop, cinema, hairdresser, events room and access to outside spaces.

Vida Court will be the third site in the town for the firm - which was established seven years ago - and is expected to create up to 250 new jobs upon its scheduled completion in summer 2021.

Vida Healthcare managing director, James Rycroft, commented: “We launched Vida Healthcare seven years ago with a view to challenging the perception and services of care homes in the UK.

“We look forward to working closely with the construction and build teams over the next eighteen months to deliver a facility that will demonstrate the very latest thinking in dementia care.

“Having all our team based in one place will further improve delivery of the best care possible and we hope to be able to continue to inspire and innovate both our staff and others working in the care sector when Vida Court opens next year.”

Designed by Leeds-based Den Architecture, the building works will be delivered by a Yorkshire-based team comprising Projex Building Solutions, with the build contract being undertaken by Caddick Construction, part of Knottingley-based Caddick Group PLC.

Phil Tomalin, managing director of Projex, added: “It has been exciting to work with Vida on all three of its projects in Harrogate and see their vision of providing exceptional dementia care become a reality.

“Vida has challenged all areas of care provision to the extent that their care home environments are almost unrecognisable from outdated predecessors. It means that Harrogate will continue to take a leading role in dementia care provision in this country.”

Caddick operations director Ian Plowman said: “We have made a really strong start to this project and we’re delighted to be part of the team that is bringing these much-needed dementia-focused facilities for the region.”